Canopus as Victor of the Gods (Oedipus Aegyptiacus)

This black-and-white woodcut features three distinct compartments. To the right, a large oval frame encloses a bust of a human-headed vessel, likely representing the deity Canopus, with flames emerging from its base; the bust is in profile facing left. To the left, two smaller stacked squares depict similar vessel-like figures: the top one is adorned with flame-like rays, and the bottom one sits atop a base, also surrounded by radiating strokes. The image employs bold, schematic lines typical of 17th-century illustrative printing.

This illustration originates from Athanasius Kircher’s 'Oedipus Aegyptiacus' (1652–1654), a monumental work attempting to decode Egyptian hieroglyphs through the lens of Hermetic, Neoplatonic, and Christian syncretism. It illustrates Kircher's theory of elemental conflict and dominance, specifically identifying Canopus as an emblem of the elemental force of fire.